With less than two weeks to go in the 2018 regular season, the Texas Rangers have been eliminated from postseason contention, and they sit in last place in the AL West at 64-88. General manager Jon Daniels admitted the team is in rebuilding mode earlier this year, when Cole Hamels and Keone Kela were traded away at the deadline.

The rebuild may involve more than roster changes, as it turns out. According to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Rangers are "contemplating" replacing manager Jeff Banister following the season. From Wilson:

Multiple sources confirmed that the Rangers are contemplating replacing Jeff Banister after the season even though he is under contract for 2019. The Rangers exercised the option they held on him for next season shortly after the 2017 season ended.

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The Rangers' second consecutive losing season, one put in place by the front office and ownership, is not necessarily why Banister's future is in doubt. Instead, officials have started to wonder if he is a fix in the long-range plan.

Wilson adds that no final decision has been made about Banister's future at this time. He notes communication issues, which date back to Banister being hired before the 2015 season, are an ongoing problem.

The Rangers hired Banister to replace Ron Washington following the 2014 season and he was named the AL Manager of the Year in 2015, after leading the club to 88-74 record and a first place finish one year after they went 67-95. Texas repeated as AL West champs in 2016 and Banister finished second in the Manager of the Year voting.

Banister, now 54, was a rookie manager when he was hired by the Rangers. He spent years with the Pirates both as a player and a coach prior to joining Texas. Teams are trending toward younger managers these days, and if the Rangers do make a change, they figure to look for their own Alex Cora or Gabe Kapler rather than hire a veteran skipper to lead the rebuild.